852.00/6483: Telegram
The Consul at Geneva (Bucknell) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 17—10:40 p.m.]
309. I have received in confidence tonight the text of an additional agreement which was signed this evening by all nine signatories of the original Nyon agreement. The following is the Consulate’s translation of the French text:
[For text of agreement which is here omitted, see British Cmd. 5569, Treaty Series No. 39 (1937): International Agreement for Collective Measures Against Piratical Acts in the Mediterranean by Surface Vessels and Aircraft (Supplementary to the Nyon Arrangement), Geneva, September 17, 1937.]
A delegate to this Conference informed me during a discussion of the agreement this morning Greece proposed the inclusion of a provision that if an attacking surface vessel showed her flag while attacking a merchantman this attack would not be considered an act of piracy and that there would therefore be no obligation to intervene. It is understood that the Greek position was motivated by the fear that a Greek ship might be faced with the necessity of intervening against an Italian attack. This position was firmly opposed and no provision or reservation of this kind was permitted. The Greek position, however, was partially met in article 3 by limiting the specific obligations under the agreement to the high seas.
The delegate said that in his opinion the Greek position resulted from Italian pressure. He informed me that the publication of this agreement would be delayed until noon tomorrow to allow sufficient time to communicate the terms to Italy.
In this connection he expressed the personal opinion that Italy would not adhere to these agreements unless substantially modified and that he understood that Italy is asking for an extension of her zones at least to extend from Pantelleria to the Straits of Bonifacio in such a manner as to safeguard Italian naval bases from foreign interference.
He explained that in his view Italy is now placed in the position of having to “take it or leave it,” and, if she should decline to participate, [Page 401] the present agreements would be tantamount to a reconstitution of the mutual assistance agreements concluded 1936 by Great Britain with certain Mediterranean powers but with the added force that in this instance France participated without reservations.
He said that this agreement does not modify in any way the original agreement regarding submarines and that the charts included in the annexes to the original agreement would probably be published tomorrow.